rubella poster

Typically a mild childhood illness, rubella (also known as “German measles”) can pose a serious threat to the developing fetus if the mother is infected during pregnancy. More than 20,000 babies were born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) during an outbreak in 1964-65, before the US vaccine was licensed in 1969. CRS can cause diverse symptoms ranging from deafness to seizures, encephalitis, and developmental delays. (Image: CDC)

Other Images in this Gallery

This electron micrograph image shows the structure of a single virus particle, or “virion,” of measles virus. Before 1963, about 3 to 4 million people got measles each year and an average of 450 people died, mostly children. After the vaccine became available, the number of measles cases dropped by 98%. (Image: CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith; William Bellini, PhD)

This late 1960s photograph shows a Nigerian mother and her child, who was recovering from measles. The child’s skin is peeling as he heals from his measles infection. Measles victims in poor countries where other diseases are prevalent often require intensive nursing to avoid complications, including subsequent infections. (Image: CDC)

Typically a mild childhood illness, rubella (also known as “German measles”) can pose a serious threat to the developing fetus if the mother is infected during pregnancy. More than 20,000 babies were born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) during an outbreak in 1964-65, before the US vaccine was licensed in 1969. CRS can cause diverse symptoms ranging from deafness to seizures, encephalitis, and developmental delays. (Image: CDC)